Tests and diagnosis

Your doctor will start with a health history, family history and thorough physical examination including checking your blood pressure and heart function.

Your doctor might then recommend screening tests:

Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). Electrical signals are recorded as they travel through your heart. Your doctor can look for patterns that indicate abnormal heart function and increased left ventricle muscle tissue.

Echocardiogram. Sound waves produce live-action images of your heart. Echocardiogram can reveal thickened muscle tissue in the left ventricle, blood flow through the heart with each beat, and heart abnormalities related to left ventricular hypertrophy, such as aortic valve stenosis.

MRI. Images of your heart can be used to diagnose left ventricular hypertrophy.

AskMayoExpert. What tests are needed to confirm the diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and what is the role of genetic testing? Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2014.

James PA, et al. 2014 evidence-based guidelines for the management of high blood pressure in adults: Report from the panel members appointed to the Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC 8). Journal of the American Medical Association. 2014;311:507.

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